Liam and Sara
by brightspot149
Summary: Title is just how it sounds. A deeper look at their relationship that felt a bit rushed in the game. This explores some additional "dates" that Liam might have taken Sara on. This story does contain spoilers, specifically related to Kadara. Also, rated M for sexual content in chapter 2.
1. Chapter 1

_**When romancing Liam in the game, it felt a bit rushed and like it was missing some depth. This is an attempt to insert some of the missing depth. Please note, there are spoilers related to Kadara. So far, this is to be a 3 chapter exploration into their relationship.**_

* * *

Sara Ryder sighed as the warm water hit her back, thankful for a warm, relaxing shower after a long mission. While waiting for her turn to clean up, she had spoken to Addison via the vidcom and solidified the plans for the outpost at Kadara. It had certainly taken some convincing, of which Sara was doubtful Addison had been entirely won over. As Sara washed the soap out of her short, layered, dark-brown hair she made the decision to view her actions as an accomplishment instead of a political statement. Anderson might not see it the way she did, but she knew her crew did; especially Liam.

Sara felt her lips involuntarily curl up in a small smile and didn't try to hide it as there was no one else around to see it. Shortly after having had the role of Pathfinder bestowed upon her, she'd made the decision to not play favorites when it came to her crew members. She wanted amicable relationships with them all, in addition to the professional, but she didn't want there to be an inadvertent undertone of "playing favorites". As much as she hated it, she did have a favorite. Not in the sense that she like everyone else less, but in the sense that there was someone she found the most relatable and engaging – someone she enjoyed the company of more than the others.

He didn't stand out at first, but then she began to see his heart, his passion for others. The rest of them were so focused on pushing forward, dealing with the politics of it all, that they tended to step on others just to get where they were going. But Liam, he was most worried about the "others", especially those who being inadvertently "stepped on". After they had discovered what the Kett were doing to the Angarans, what Liam had said, if she was being honest with herself, had really changed her whole perspective on what they were doing. His words had shifted her focus to be more mindful of the needs and sensibilities of others. Sara was familar with working with aliens, but he had reminded her that in this galaxy, _she_ was the alien intruding on a galaxy not her own.

Sara still felt conflicting emotions when she reflected on how she had reacted this epiphany Liam had provided her. They had both seemed to enjoy it, a lot, but she'd even surprised herself with her forwardness that night, even feeling a bit of shame about it. There had been previous relationships, and she was sure he'd had others too, but she had always waited for the guy to make the first move. Sara was fairly certain that had she acted first with her exes, they would have left running or taken it as an insult. The fact the Liam hadn't even mentioned her perceived forwardness captured her attention even more.

After rinsing the soap off of her caramel-colored skin, she asked SAM to lock the doors to the bathroom. Her body might be clean but she missed long, cleansing showers; the kind that cleaned the inside as well as the out. Once SAM confirmed that she was locked in alone, she rested her head against the patrician and let the stream massage her back. Establishing the outpost on Karada had been an accomplishment, as she was telling herself, but she also couldn't help wondering if she had messed things up with Liam.

When Sara first met Reyes, she had certainly found him attractive and intriguing, but had flirted out of what she thought was necessity to get him to work with her. Liam hadn't been there for the first meeting, but he was there when they had gone to the hideout to meet up with Reyes while investigating the murders. When they discovered that he wasn't there and Sara commented on it, Liam had misinterpreted her intention. His words were still very fresh from the previous day: "Why don't you keep it in your pants… or out of your pants, or whatever." Sara wasn't even sure how he knew about the occasional flirting. When she had attempted to defend herself, they were ambushed. She still hadn't gotten a chance to explain.

Today, after having made Reyes "leader" of Kadara, she had been firm with him that she had no intention whatsoever of a relationship. Liam had been on that mission and she'd hoped, though he hadn't been in the same area during the conversation, that he'd somehow overheard her. Sara knew that she and Liam hadn't committed to anything yet, but she was sticking to her word that she was going to leave the door open. To her, that meant focusing her romantic attentions on Liam, and him only, to see where it would lead. Though, if she was again honest with herself, some of the flirting may have subconsciously been to make him jealous, or at least regain his attention. She knew it was childish, but since that night on the couch, she was fairly certain she wanted more than just an open door. It was a difficult line to walk – wanting to continue to show him attention and have it reciprocated _and_ , at the same time, not be too clingy.

Sara let out a final sigh and shut the water off. What was done was done, and she could only move forward. After towel drying, Sara wrapped the towel around her hair and put on her robe. Upon returning to her room, she noticed the light on her computer blinking, signaling that she had new messages. She decided to put her clothes on first, preferring casual over formal, tended to her hair, and then sat down to attend to work.

While glancing through the dozen or so new e-mails, one in particular caught her eye. The title was simply "Meet me on the Nexus", the body was "I have something I want to show you. Call it date 4", and the sender was Liam. She read it a few times, her breath catching in her throat. It could be a good or bad sign, but Sara was again forcing herself to choose to think that it was the positive of those two options. After reading through a few more e-mails and confirming that she had other business on the Nexus to tend to, she contacted Suvi. "Let's leave Kadara's orbit and head back to the Nexus."

"Yes, Pathfinder. It will take a bit, so get some rest," Suvi said kindly.

Sara certainly planned on it and hoped that her anticipation for what awaited her on the Nexus wouldn't keep her awake.

* * *

Sara wasn't sure where Liam has wanted to meet her on the Nexus and she was too nervous to ask or even face him until they arrived, so she planned on just wandering around completing other tasks while keeping an eye out for him. Once they landed, she made sure everything on the ship was settled prior to exiting. As always, she was the last off the ship. She hadn't gone far when she saw Liam out of the corner of her eye, on the second-level platform overlooking the courtyard area. He waved and she waved back in acknowledgement.

Taking a deep breath, Sara ascended the stairs and joined him in leaning on the railing and looking out over the people below. He didn't look her direction or say anything for a long while. She was beginning to doubt this date was a good sign when he finally spoke up. "My Mum and I used to do this for hours," he said quietly, still looking forward.

It took Sara a moment to figure out what he meant. "People watch, you mean?"

"Mmhmm," he hummed in affirmation. "Sometimes we would make up stories about them. Like what they were thinking about, what their future would be like, stuff like that. But other times we would just watch. Sometimes the best way to say something is to not say anything at all."

"That's pretty deep, Kosta." There was sincerity in her voice; she didn't mean for it to detract from the deep impact of his words, or the intimacy of the moment.

"I think it's what really helped me to understand and care for people, you know? I mean, I think some of it comes naturally, my compassion for others, but Mum really helped me foster it."

Sara was afraid to break the moment, so she continued to remain in silence. It was interesting, watching different species mill around and interact with each other. She began to wonder what some of them were thinking, feeling, and what their history was when Liam again broke the silence.

"So, speaking of interesting people, that Reyes sure fits that description." There wasn't contempt in his voice, but certainly curiosity at minimum.

Sara thought about reminding him that he was a "big boy", but also knew that this was what she had hoped for. This potential jealousy signaled that maybe his affection for her was deepening as much as hers was for him. "Definitely didn't peg him as the Charlatan. I think he will do well for Kandara, though."

"Will we be making frequent trips back to, you know, check up on him?" This time a hint of bitterness tainted his words.

Sara let out a short laugh. "Of course not. I was a bit 'friendly' with him in the beginning, but that was only to get him to work with me. I made it clear with him on our last day there that I have no feelings for him. He took it in stride and, thankfully, still agreed to run Kadara." Sara looked over at Liam, but he still avoided her gaze. She waited until finally he locked eyes. "This is where I want to be and who I want to share my time with."

Liam smiled. "You know, with each date being better and better, it makes it that much harder to plan the next one."

Sara mirrored his smile. It was an enormous relief to know that there would be a "next one".


	2. Chapter 2

**_This chapter does contain some word-for-word from the game, but the majority of it is original. Also,I don't normally write sexually explicit scenes, in fact I believe this is my first, but I found it important to do so to show how their relationship has changed since they have committed to each other._**

* * *

About a week after their "date" on the Nexus, Sara got another e-mail from Liam. This time it was a request to meet him on Eos for a surprise for everyone. She had been looking forward to another date, but as always, Liam was thinking of how to get everyone together to have a good time. "Thoughtful, of course," she mumbled to herself.

"He has already notified the others, but sent you a personalized message," SAM's voice echoed around her cabin.

Sara smiled. SAM was still learning how to read and react to human emotions. Whether he intended it or not, his words reassured her. "Thanks for letting me know, SAM."

After forcing herself to read the rest of the messages, she contacted Suvi to request a re-landing on Eos. They had just left the planet the previous night and were still in orbit. Not just because she wanted to have some time with Liam after a long week, but also because the team had more than earned a break. She put her computer into sleep mode, pulled her sweatshirt over her head, and then headed toward the bridge with a few pit stops in mind.

First, Sara stopped by the med bay to check in with Lexi. Lately, their resident physician had each crew member checking in at least once a week. At first Sara thought it was just because Lexi was bored, but it seemed it was because Lexi had concerns that the atmospheres of the different planets would affect their physiology. Sara tried to convince her that's what the suits were for, to keep them safe, but Lexi insisted on the weekly appointments.

Towards the end of their appointment, as always, Lexi would criticize Sara on her diet. This time it was that she wasn't taking in enough calories, other times it was that she was taking in too many. As they were wrapping up, Sara could tell the doctor wanted to tell or ask her something. Sara contemplated darting out the door as she didn't intend on staying for a therapy session.

"Sara, can I ask you something personal?"

Sara couldn't help glancing toward the exit. "I guess, if it's brief."

"Of course. I just couldn't help but notice that there seems to be _someone_ in your life."

"That wasn't a question, Lexi." Sara felt the heat rise in her cheeks, so she slowly made her way towards the exit.

"No. My question was, would you like to discuss it sometime?"

Sara stood in the doorway, still facing Lexi. "Not really," she answered honestly. She wasn't sure how Lexi knew, but didn't plan on advertising their "relationship" until they figured out what they actually were. Lexi appeared somewhat offended. "But I know who to come to if I do," she added, which seemed to appease the Asari doctor. With that, Sara slipped out of the door and toward her next destination: the crew quarters.

There she found Jaal and Liam, hard at work. Sara spoke briefly with Jaal first, mostly about the attack on Eos the previous day. She knew family was very important to Jaal and the ongoing tension with Akksul seemed to be causing him more stress than usual. He seemed encouraged by her commitment to see the issue through to the end with him and returned to his work.

Sara wasn't sure how to approach Liam since most of their non-work related conversations took place either over e-mail or when no one they knew was around. As she got close, he turned to face her, lowering his tablet. "Pathfinder," he acknowledged with one of his grins.

"We should be landing on Eos soon. We were still in orbit. Hope you're ready."

"Always," he answered confidently. "I'll let them know we are on our way. The hard part will be making sure all of the crew comes too."

Sara suddenly had an idea. "I think I can arrange that."

* * *

Once the crew heard Liam's announcement about his plans for the day, they finally all stopped grumbling. While the others changed into more comfortable clothes, Sara and Liam worked together to set up the goals and lay out the field. It had been a long time since Sara had played, or even seen, a game of soccer, so she just followed Liam's lead.

"I still can't believe the 'fire drill' excuse worked," Liam chuckled as he finished attaching the net on the first goal frame.

"Honestly, I'm a little surprised too. I don't think I really had Gil, Suvi, or Kallo. At least they played along."

"Well, they won't regret it."

About the time they finished setting up, everyone had gathered onto the field. Liam explained the rules, as not everyone there even knew what soccer was, let alone what the rules were. Once the game started, both Sara and Liam stood off to the side since they were still in their armor. Liam took up the role as referee and still took the time to talk with Sara as they watched.

This was what Sara had wanted – some time with the crew as well as quality alone time with Liam. "How did you do all of this?" she asked after some silence, looking over at him.

"It didn't take much. A ball, flat ground. HUSTL would start games at refugee camps," he answered, still watching the game. "I didn't get it then, but after the attack here and the shit with Verand's rescue, I wanted to try something… low tech. What do you think?"

"It's wonderful how you never stop trying to build your bridge," Sara answered honestly, turning to fully face him.

Liam finally turned his gaze toward hers, "Heh, it finally feels like I stopped trying too hard. Crisis after crisis, trying to force people not to be outsiders; even using 'The Pathfinder' as a symbol."

The silence that took over was unsettling. Sara looked back toward the field, as did Liam. Sara felt like she was growing into the title, but she still wasn't used to people seeing her as "The Pathfinder" instead of as "just Sara".

"I mean, you rally people like a champ, but when it's life or death, is that friendship at the end, or relief?" It sounded as if Liam had sensed her uncomfortable feeling and was trying to address it head-on. Sara looked back over to him and he turned back toward the game. "I get it now, why just getting together is so important. Check the play!" he suddenly shouted, pointing toward the field with one hand and gently touching her shoulder with the other.

Sara followed his direction and saw two players collide at the shoulder, an Asari and an Angaran. The Asari had been knocked to the ground. "Free kick for charging," Liam directed. The Angaran male was helping the Asari up and their hands and gaze seemed to linger a little longer than what would be considered typical. "No charge for match-making," Liam mumbled so only she could hear, glancing over at her.

They then went back to watching the game. Liam spoke up again. "I couldn't do any of this without you."

Sara grinned. "You're sweet, Kosta," she said, afraid to take his words too seriously.

"No, I mean it. We're the same about a lot of things. So… what about 'us'?"

Sara knew it would come up at some point, that they couldn't keep having dates without deciding what the end game was. She just didn't expected it to be so out in the open, though no one seemed to be paying attend to them.

"Fun's fun, it's okay if it's just 'we used to flirt'," he continued, and turned to face her. "But if you're serious, I'd like to be serious. What you're doing deserves it."

At those words Sara turned to face him, a little surprised at the respect and kindness his words reflected. Her answer formed itself. "If we are going to be a thing, no pedestal. The whole cluster wants a piece of 'The Pathfinder'." They both broke eye contact and Sara was sure her words made Liam uncomfortable because of his earlier comment, but she wanted to be honest up front. "Make us about us," she softened, stepping closer to him, causing him to reconnect with his gaze.

He paused before speaking, but only for a brief moment. "Sara Ryder," he began confidently, "it's about us." Sara felt the sincerity of his words but the moment quickly faded as the ball was kicked to Liam by someone unaware of their conversation. "Switch up," he said, catching the ball with his foot. "Ready to get in the game?" he asked, looking to her.

Sara had a hard time discerning what he wanted, and she selfishly didn't want this precious time with him to end. She wanted to play with him and the others, but she decided that she wanted him more. Instead of giving a verbal answer, she began to walk toward the Tempest. When she turned around to see if he was following, she saw him kick the ball back into the game and jog toward her.

Once Liam caught up, they walked side by side back into the Tempest. Sara felt the nerves creeping up, but let the excitement of finally knowing how he actually felt took over. "The whole ship to ourselves," she commented as they ascended the ramp. "I'd love to play with the others, but I have to get out of this armor first."

Liam laughed openly. "That can't be why you had me follow you here. And besides, I'm complete rubbish."

They stopped in the hall and faced each other; Liam walked forward until her back was against the wall, braced his hand above her head, and leaned close. Sara felt a physical shiver of excitement. They hadn't even kissed since the night on the couch, though she had thought about it almost every day since. Sara let her eyes close so that she could completely enjoy the moment. Almost just as she was in darkness, his soft lips met hers.

Sara tried to put her arms around him but the armor was preventing close contact, so she leaned forward to deepen the kiss. She reflectively nibbled his lower lip when he moaned, causing him to do so again. The kiss wasn't needy in nature yet, but Sara was beginning to be frustrated by their clothing choice, and she was sure he was too. "It's not why I had you follow me here, but I would like to get out of this," she whispered, breaking the kiss for only a brief moment.

Liam met her lips again, but this time she felt herself being led down the hallway and to the lift. Once they reached the lower floor, he seemed to be pushing her toward the couch. Sara shook her head, once again breaking their connection. "This time, my room," she said with a mischievous grin and then took off running toward her cabin.

"Sara!" she heard Liam laugh behind her. She was grateful it was no longer "Ryder" or "Pathfinder". _This is it_ , she said to herself, _finally something real. SAM,_ Sarah thought, _could you give us some privacy?_ _Yes, Pathfinder,_ he promptly responded only to her. She and Liam had discussed SAM before, and he had some idea of how connected they were, but now was not the time to focus on that. She had no worries that he would accept her for who she was, but until they had that honest conversation, she preferred that it was just she and Liam.

By the time she got to her room and the door whooshed open, Sara felt his hands grab her hips from behind and lift her slightly off of the ground. She couldn't help the laugh that escaped. She placed her hands on his. Once her feet hit the floor, she quickly turned to face him, grabbing both hands and pulling him to the center of the room to resume their kiss.

One of the many things she enjoyed about space was not having to remember to close the shades every time she changed. In way, Sara found it comforting that the only thing that could see her was the stars. _Well, they should enjoy their show tonight_ , she thought as she felt Liam start to undo the clasps on her armor. Sara realized that he probably meant this as a kind and romantic gesture, but she hurried the process. She wanted to take her time with him, but was more than ready to have nothing between them.

Once naked before the planets and stars, she placed one hand behind his neck and began to lead them to the bed. Before she got very far, Liam picked her up, wrapping her legs around him. Sara expected him to carry her to the bed, but instead he just stood there rubbing her back and ruffling her hair. She realized that he was making a point of taking his time, unlike their first, very hurried, encounter. Sara appreciated the sentiment, but could feel him hard with want under her and wondered how much self-control it was taking him.

"Take me," she whispered in his right ear, prompting him. It worked. She heard him moan and felt his hips jerk, causing him to rub against her entrance. In response, Sara began to nibble his ear.

Now that his mouth was free of hers, she heard Liam breathing heavily. "Yes, Ma'am," he teased, finally carrying her to the bed. Sara landed with her back to the soft mattress, legs still wrapped around her favorite person. He remained propped up, staring at her instead of immediately resuming the kiss.

The first time they had slept together, she hadn't really taken the time to appreciate him. After sharing a long look with him, Sara allowed her hands to trace his defined abs and ghost up and down his sides. She was sure she would never tire of looking at or listening to him. He had thanked her for helping him, but the truth was she wouldn't be where she was without him. He brought humor when she needed it, comfort when she couldn't handle her new role, and encouragement when she felt like she'd let down the team. She would find the words to tell him later, but for the time being, she intended to make her feelings for him tangible.

As Sara explored Liam, she felt him doing the same to her. His hands ran over her defined stomach and up her sides. One hand caressed one of her breasts while the other traced the outline of dark-blue braided tattoo on her neck. Sara felt him continue to grow and throb under her until, finally, he held her face with one hand and used the other to guide himself inside. It took a few movements, but once inside they both made sounds of pleasure and continued to hold eye contact. Sara hoped she never forgot that look on his face.

Sara released her legs and Liam pushed them further up on the bed. Liam surprised her again, this time choosing eye contact over kissing. He rested on his elbows, bringing his face very close to hers. Every few thrusts he would sneak a kiss on her nose, lips, or forehead. Sara let her hands roam his back, allowing her hand to slip low a few times.

Losing herself in his eyes, she found herself appreciating how different this experience was than the first. The first time, they hardly made any eye contact, focusing only on the physical pleasure. This time, she felt it – the deep connection. She was his, and he was hers. It didn't feel like a rushed decision as they had spent plenty of time reflecting and together on missions and "dates". Now Sara was confident that their relationship wouldn't become a "friends with benefits" like she had feared; what they were doing now was just a reflection of their deep feelings for each other, not just an act in of itself.

Liam laid his body flush with hers, still moving at a steady pace, and placed his mouth next to her right ear. He was careful to not put too much of his weight on her. "When I decided to be a part of this mission, I never expected to meet someone like you, Sara." He then nibbled her ear to emphasize his point and made his way down her neck, ending at her breasts. One was tended by his tongue, the other by one of his hands.

Sara sucked in a breath, both at his words and the work of his hands. She couldn't believe how quickly they had bonded but it felt so natural, as if it was always meant to be that way. Liam switched the placement of his hand and mouth, and Sara pressed him to flip them over.

Once on top, Sara took control of the movements, enjoying watching how each slight variation in movement changed his facial expression. She took pride in knowing that it was _her_ causing him to feel that way. Sara took the opportunity to lean down and say a few words of her own. "Take me, Liam. I'm yours." She knew it was cliché, but now she understood why people said it; that was how she truly felt.

Liam sped up, hands going to her back, lightly scratching. Sara leaned into him, feeling herself build. By the look on Liam's face, he was feeling the same. She smiled, enjoying the pleasure etched into his features. "Sara," he pleaded, hands going to her hips.

"Liam," she echoed. She felt her pleasure reach its peak and her body clamp down on him. She allowed her pleasure to be known verbally as they had the ship to themselves for once. He quickly followed, also not holding back his verbal appreciation either. After a few moments of resting on top of him, Sara slid off to his side, cuddling up next to him.

Liam looked over, using his right hand to play with some of the stands of her hair. "Maybe a quick nap and shower before we join the others?" he suggested.

"I like the sounds of that," she sighed, drawing him closer. Sara didn't even want to think about what would have happened if she hadn't given the relationship time to develop. _This was worth_ it, she thought to herself.


End file.
